Electronic device and method for automatically responding to calendar event notifications

Abstract

A method and an electronic device are provided that include receiving at the electronic device a start and an end of an out-of-office period and an out-of-office preference for responding to new invitations to events occurring during the out-of-office period received at the electronic device, receiving at the electronic device a new invitation to an event occurring during the out-of-office period, and automatically transmitting at the electronic device a response to the new invitation based on the out-of-office preference.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving at an electronic device data associated with a first status period, the data including a start date of the first status period;   receiving at the electronic device a calendar invitation associated with an application of the electronic device, the calendar invitation having event data associated with an event scheduled to occur during the first status period;   automatically transmitting a response declining the calendar invitation; and   in response to determining that a current date is the start date, automatically turning off at least some notifications at the electronic device;   wherein the data associated with the first status period does not comprise event data of an event associated with the application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the data associated with the first status period comprises a start time of the first status period; and   automatically turning off at least some notifications at the electronic device is performed in response to determining that a current time is the start time.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the first status period comprises an end of the first status period. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the first status period comprises an indication that the user is not available. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising in response to determining that the current date is the start date, automatically setting a status of one or more social communication applications to a state indicating the user is not available. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the response is configurable. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the response comprises a default message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising turning on at least some notifications at the electronic device once the first status period has ended. 
     
     
         9 . An electronic device comprising:
 a communication system for sending and receiving communications;   at least one input device for receiving input at the electronic device;   a processor coupled to the communication system, the input device, and the display and programmed to:   receive at the electronic device data associated with a first status period, the data including a start date of the first status period;   receive at the electronic device a calendar invitation associated with an application of the electronic device, the calendar invitation having event data associated with an event scheduled to occur during the first status period;   automatically transmit by the electronic device a response declining the calendar invitation; and   in response to a determination that a current date is the start date, automatically turn off at least some notifications at the electronic device;   wherein the data associated with the first status period does not comprise event data of an event associated with the application.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the data associated with the first status period comprises a start time of the first status period; and   the processor is programmed to, in response to a determination that a current time is the start time, automatically turn off at least some notifications at the electronic device.   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device according to  claim 9 , wherein the data associated with the first status period comprises an end of the first status period. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device according to  claim 9 , wherein the data associated with the first status period comprises an indication that the user is not available. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device according to  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to determining that the current date is the start date, automatically set a status of one or more social communication applications to a state indicating the user is not available. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device according to  claim 9 , wherein the response is configurable. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device according to  claim 9 , wherein the response comprises a default message. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the process is configured to turn on at least some notifications at the electronic device once the first status period has ended. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable code executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
 receive at the electronic device data associated with a first status period, the data including a start date of the first status period;   receive at the electronic device a calendar invitation associated with an application of the electronic device, the calendar invitation having event data associated with an event scheduled to occur during the first status period;   automatically transmit by the electronic device a response declining the calendar invitation; and   in response to a determination that a current date is the start date, automatically turn off at least some notifications at the electronic device automatically turn off at least some notifications at the electronic device;   wherein the data associated with the first status period does not comprise event data of an event associated with the application.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the data associated with the first status period comprises a start time of the first status period; and   the computer-readable code is executable by the processor to cause the processor to, in response to a determination that a current time is the start time, automatically turn off at least some notifications at the electronic device.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the data associated with the first status period comprises an end of the first status period. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the data associated with the first status period comprises an indication that the user is not available. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 20 , where the computer-readable code is executable by a processor to cause the processor to, in response to determining that the current date is the start date, automatically set a status of one or more social communication applications to a state indicating the user is not available. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the response is configurable. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the response comprises a default message. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computer-readable code is executable by a processor to cause the processor to turn on at least some notifications at the electronic device once the first status period has ended.